


The Valentine

by Lutte



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-02-13
Packaged: 2018-01-12 05:51:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1182652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lutte/pseuds/Lutte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A possible future occurring approximately one year after ‘The Intern.’ Eren, Levi, Erwin, and Armin travel to Seaside Heights for a day away from their normal lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Valentine

**Author's Note:**

> The following piece takes place approximately one year after ‘The Intern’ as a potential future. This does NOT mean that this is the actual end to the story. The boys have their own plans in mind and it is very possible that the characters in this piece do not end up together in the end. So don’t hold this chapter as an official ‘this is it, happy ending!’ kind of thing.
> 
> The Valentine’s Day chapter is what I’m calling a potential look at the future. If everything were to work out wonderfully, everyone survives, and the boys get together… then this is where they’d be in one year’s time. It’s one of the many possible futures they have. So I guess even if The Intern ends sadly, this could always serve as an alternate ending.
> 
> This chapter takes place in a place known as Seaside Heights. For those of you who have heard of it before, I’m sure you’re aware of the tragic fire that occurred this past year and the hurricane the year prior to that. Seaside Heights was an important part of my childhood, and since The Intern takes place in NY in a separate universe… well, I can still have it live on. So in this setting, there was no hurricane. No fire. Seaside Heights is safe and sound.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys this special chapter! It will take place in four POVs – one section is Ereri and one is Winmin. Feel free to read just one or both, depending on your ships. They are stand-alone pieces and you will not have to read one to understand the other.
> 
> Please make sure to check out puppybrateren on tumblr! She is the reason this special Valentine’s Day chapter happened because she is the amazing artist who created the beautiful artwork this chapter is based off of. ^_^ THANK YOU SO MUCH, PUPPYBRATEREN!
> 
> Okay, on with the story! XD
> 
> ENJOY!

_Eren_

 

“You’re doing it again.”

I rolled my eyes and forced myself to look out the window, trying to focus on anything other than the man sitting across from me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Is that so?” Erwin asked, his tone amused, “Were you just glaring at the seat behind me, then?”

“I can’t see the seat behind you, you stupid wall of muscles,” I spat, keeping my eyes trained on the scenery flying past us. There were lines of houses, all of them with rocks and sand substituting for lawns. Not that we saw a lot of grass in the city, but it was strange to see such quaint little houses with no green to surround them. 

“Eren…” Armin’s tone held more than a hint of scolding and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes again.

“No, it’s fine,” Erwin laughed softly, “I’ve been called far worse than a wall of muscles. I’ll take that one as a compliment.”

“Not sure he meant it that way,” Levi murmured. He was lazily dragging his index finger back and forth between my shoulders as he eyed my expression. I knew that even without looking he could tell I wasn’t thrilled with our means of transportation. Of course, it wasn’t like I had kept all of the complaints to myself.

“Remind me again why we’re stuck in a limo with him,” I muttered under my breath. I only meant for Levi to hear it, but the enclosed space didn’t allow for such private conversations.

“Because we’re going to the same place,” Erwin answered automatically. “And I figured it’d be nice, since you and Armin are friends.”

Or you just wanted to push my fucking buttons by having him cling to you in front of me. I eyed the possessive arm wrapped around Armin’s waist and stifled a disgusted sound, turning my attention back out the window. Despite the fact that I had been given plenty of time to accept their relationship, I was still trying to get used to the reality of them as a couple. Erwin would never be the man I would choose for Armin and as much as I wanted him to be happy, jealousy continued to rear its ugly head whenever I saw them together. 

“We were going together regardless,” Levi spoke up, rolling his shoulders in a dismissive shrug. I had no idea how their relationship didn’t bother him at all. “Our choice was between the limo and Erwin driving. And I don’t know about you, but I like my head attached to my body.”

“I’m not that bad,” Erwin remarked, a little offended. 

“Are you kidding?” Levi scoffed, raising a brow and fixing Erwin with an incredulous stare, “I’m pretty fucking sure you don’t even know what brakes are.”

“It’s the one next to the gas,” Erwin replied with a small smirk. “I know how to drive, Levi.”

Levi rolled his eyes and leaned into me, snaking his arm around my waist before yanking me against him. He crossed his legs and leaned back into the leather, letting his free arm lay across the back of the seat. “Keep telling yourself that, Commander.”

Armin stiffened beside Erwin and his eyes narrowed so slightly that I almost missed it entirely. I watched as Erwin’s arm tightened around his waist, drawing my small friend closer to his large frame as he bent down to whisper at his ear. Levi chuckled softly beside me, and the sound of him was probably the only thing that could pull my attention away from those two. 

Levi rested his chin against my shoulder, his lips pressed close to my ear as he murmured, “That was the equivalent of Erwin calling me Corporal. I don’t think your little friend likes it.”

I felt my blood run hot with anger at the thought of Erwin using that name, the name meant only for my lips. Levi was my Corporal and no one else had any right to call him by that title, as I had made clear more than once on our visits to The Wall. Suddenly I was able to understand Armin’s reaction perfectly, although I hated knowing what those two did behind closed doors. They remained strictly platonic in my mind, and that was probably the only way I was able to accept them. 

I let a sigh rush out of my lungs and returned my attention to the window, leaning into Levi as I did so. His head remained on my shoulder as he took my hand in his, idly tracing the lines of my palm. I angled my head to the side and looked down between us, watching his blackened nail move along the path. It was relaxing me. Of course, I knew that was the reason he was doing it. He had learned, in time, how to sooth me with small touches. Sometimes I wondered if it even managed to calm him as well.

“We’re here!” Armin announced excitedly, spinning around in his seat to stare out the window. His face was lit up like a child seeing an amusement park for the first time, and pretty soon I realized I was also grinning like a fool.

We had never been to Seaside Heights before, despite the fact that it had never been a terribly far trip. My family had always just packed up and headed to Coney Island whenever we wanted to take a trip to the beach. It was a little closer and had become a familiar place for us to visit after so many years, so we never explored past it. Seeing an unfamiliar boardwalk and beach brought forward a feeling of excitement that I hadn’t felt since I was five. 

The limo pulled up near the boardwalk and I watched as a few people gathered to see what celebrities might have arrived. They were about to be sincerely disappointed, but I didn’t give two flying shits. Armin and I piled out of the car with Erwin and Levi following behind us in a more civilized manner. Not that either of them cared that they were about to spend the day with two excited teens. I was pretty damn sure they preferred it at this point.

“So, what do you want to do first?” Levi asked as he leaned into me. 

“The beach,” I answered automatically, my attention instantly turning to the shoreline. It was winter and the beach wasn’t crowded at all. We would have the whole thing to ourselves today. 

“Why am I not surprised,” Levi murmured, but his small smirk destroyed any attempt he was making to seem annoyed. 

“Do you mind if I go on the boardwalk and meet up with you later?” 

I had to bite back a laugh as I watched Armin glance between me and his destination with hopeful eyes. He had rarely been to any beach, and when he did manage to visit one he never got to see the boardwalk. He had been talking about it since we first brought up the idea of the trip, and he’d planned out every ride and stand he wanted to see. He’d even saved up enough money to try out most of the rides, although I knew for a fact that Erwin wasn’t going to let him pay. 

“Sure, go ahead,” I waved him off, suppressing a grin, “We’ll text you when we’re done and we can grab some pizza.”

Armin smiled from ear to ear and looked up at Erwin, “Do you want to go with me?”

Levi let out a sharp laugh and turned away, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along at his side. I moved with him, fighting back my own smirk as I took his hand and laced our fingers together. I didn’t even need to hear Erwin’s response to know what it was, but his voice carried over to us regardless.

“There is no place in the world I would rather be than with you, my pet.”

I cringed at the nickname and didn’t bother to hide the sound of disgust this time. They wouldn’t be able to hear me anyway and it earned a laugh from Levi, who was the only one currently around to appreciate it.

“Bothers you that much, hrm?”

I shrugged and tried my best to seem indifferent even as I glanced over my shoulder at the retreating figures. Armin was leaning into Erwin, who had put his arm around his waist. They looked so hopelessly comfortable together, much like Levi and myself, but I still couldn’t stand the idea. Armin deserved so much more out of life, but for some reason his heart was set on that man. And at this point I could only hope that eventually I would come to accept that I would never be able to change what he wanted. 

“I can’t help it,” I muttered at last, “I’m still trying to get used to it.”

Levi laughed softly and shook his head, jerking me against him as we walked down the wooden slabs of the boardwalk and out into the sand.

“Kid, I don’t think you’re ever going to get used to them.”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_Levi_

 

“Levi, look!” 

I watched as Eren ran towards the crashing waves with his arms stretched out to the sides, looking free as a bird. I’d never seen him so happy, and that was actually saying a lot for him. It was hard to imagine anyone ever smiling because of me, but Eren did so on a regular basis. Hell, he did it so often that the brat had even gotten me to do the same. It was actually starting to feel natural, and I never thought that would happen. 

But I never had much to smile about before him. 

Eren halted in front of the waves and stumbled back a step or two, pausing to remove his shoes. I eyed his feet as he peeled off his socks and decided, officially, that the kid was absolutely insane. Not that I hadn’t figured that out long ago, but he continued to surprise me with each new level of stupidity.

“Hey, brat,” I called as I walked over to him, “Do you think February is in the fucking summer? It’s freezing out here.”

“It’s above freezing,” Eren corrected with a roll of his eyes, stuffing his socks into his shoes.

“By like two degrees,” I snapped, grabbing his arm, “You’re still going to get yourself sick, and I’m not going to be the one cleaning up after you when you’re snotting all over yourself.”

Eren wrinkled his nose in disgust, although I wasn’t sure why. The majority of what I said was crude at best, and yet he never seemed to get used to the toilet humor. 

“I’ll be fine,” he argued, glancing over his shoulder to stare at the water. It was hard to miss the look of longing in his eyes. “It’s just for a little while.”

I let a sigh rush out of my lungs and released his arm, “Fine, but don’t expect me to join you. I like my toes where they are.”

“On your feet?” Eren raised a brow, a grin tugging at his lips.

“Attached,” I rolled my eyes and pointed at the water, “You’re getting on my last nerve, brat. Hurry up and go freeze your ass off.”

His grin spread wide across his face and he leaned close, his lips moving in a teasing brush against my neck. I angled my head to the side and fixed him with an amused stare, folding my arms. He wasn’t going to get into the water any faster if he kept doing things like that, and we both knew it. Which was probably why he did it, because I couldn’t do anything about it right now. Not in such a public place, anyway.

“I’ll make you pay for that later.” 

I felt his lips curve in a smirk against my skin and he paused to press his lips near my ear, “Counting on it, Corporal.”

I suppressed a shiver and rubbed at the tingling spot on my neck as I watched him run back to the waves. He was learning how to play with me, and I both loved and hated it. He threw me off guard in a way that no one else ever could or had, and he did it often. Even more so once he discovered how easy it was. Even I was amazed by the effect he had on me. 

He was a good little pet when he wanted to be, but his bite always surprised me in the end. 

I took a seat in the sand and grabbed a lonely stick I found laying beside me. It was a sturdy wood; enough for writing in the sand, which was probably what brought it here in the first place. I dug the tip into the sand and began to trace as I watched Eren tiptoe towards the waves, his arms stretched out to the sides as it he were fighting to maintain his balance. Which came in handy the moment the water hit his toes and he launched up into the air as if he were walking on fire. He yelped out in surprised and I bit back a smirk, rolling my eyes.

“Not that I’m trying to be shallow or anything, but it’s going to be a huge turn off if you lose all your fucking toes.”

Eren walked over to me with his teeth chattering together, his arms wrapped around his waist, “That shit is cold!”

I raised a brow and fixed him with an unamused stare, “What was your first clue?”

Eren frowned at me before flopping down into the sand at my side, snatching his shoes and ripping the socks out. He started to pull them onto his feet, which were already swelling from the cold, but I snatched them out of his hands before he could. He gave me a pitiful stare and opened his mouth to protest, but I was already yanking his feet into his lap and closing my hands around the left one.

“Shit, you’re fucking cold,” I muttered, rubbing my hands back and forth quickly to generate some heat.

Eren made a surprised sound in the back of his throat and I looked up at him to see a flush staining his cheeks. He chewed at his lower lip as he stared down at me with hooded eyes, and I felt a familiar tension starting to coil inside me as desire ran rampant through my veins. My tongue darted out and ran along the arch of his foot, eliciting a sharp gasp through his teeth and bringing a smirk to my lips. 

“Your hands are warm,” he murmured in a voice that was deepened by lust. I rolled my thumbs into the center of his foot, kneading the flesh and watching his head tilt back. “We can’t do anything here… this isn’t fair…”

“Serves you right for teasing me,” I smirked, grabbing his right foot and repeating the same friction as before, warming his frozen toes. 

He groaned softly and the sound was mostly annoyed, but it was still tinged with a hint of pleasure. I pressed my thumbs against his foot and moved them slowly up and down before finally releasing him. At least now I knew he wouldn’t be losing his toes because he had shoved them, frozen and wet, into his shoes. 

“Come on, brat,” I teased, pushing up from the sand. “Get your shoes back on and we’ll go to the boardwalk.”

“But I wanted to see the beach,” he frowned, looking back towards the water. He started to put his shoes on anyway, automatically obeying the command I’d given.

“We will as soon as you’ve warmed up,” I replied, reaching out for his hand, “We won’t go too far.”

I pulled him up once his hand latched onto mine and threaded our fingers together, glancing at the stick I left in the sand. Eren’s name was traced along beside it, the tip of the stick still connected to the last letter. I hadn’t even realized I was spelling it out until I saw the word finished. 

We walked up towards the boardwalk, hand in hand, and stepped onto the wooden panels. Some of the businesses were still open, but the majority of the area was more or less closed this time of year. No one had any interest in buying bikinis and speedos in the middle of February, but the food and casinos were still open for the small crowds that actually traveled out during the winter. I never cared for the clothing they had for sale, so visiting in such a cold month was never a loss. If anything, it allowed me to avoid the crowds so I could do what I wanted.

“Hey!” Eren’s sudden excitement drew my attention back to him and I followed his gaze over to a tall open box covered by a curtain. “A photo booth!”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I frowned, eyeing the dingy curtain. Somehow I knew Eren would be trying to cram me into that dirty little box in a matter of minutes, and what was even worse was that I knew I would let him. 

“Oh, come on,” Eren urged, already walking in the only direction I didn’t want to go. “I’ve always wanted to do one of these, and every time Armin and I tried they were broken.”

“Maybe you should take that as a sign,” I muttered, stopping right outside the photo booth. My eyes roamed over the length of the curtain and I didn’t bother to keep the look of disgust off my face. Eren noticed it immediately.

“It’s not that bad,” he said, rolling his eyes before grabbing the curtain and pulling it to the side. “You don’t even have to touch anything. I promise.”

“You know we have phones that do the same thing, right?” I glanced over at Eren and frowned. He was wearing a look of complete dejection while fiddling with a dollar from his wallet, nodding in agreement with me. And it was exactly that reaction that had me willing to get into the damn box.

I sighed and snatched his wallet from him, stuffing the bill back inside. “Fine. Whatever. But I’m paying.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he took his wallet back, “Really?”

“Oh, don’t act like you’re actually surprised,” I shot back, trying to ignore the way his smile made my heart skip. It was so much better than seeing him sulk. “You know, that manipulation bullshit of yours is starting to get annoying.”

Eren leaned against the machine as I put the cash in, an amused smile toying on his lips. “It’s not like I’m trying to do anything on purpose. I was going to agree with you and drop the subject.”

“Not without putting on that sad ass face, you weren’t. Don’t think I don’t actually know what you’re doing.” I rolled my eyes and smacked his ass, shoving him in the direction of the door. “ Get in.”

Eren dropped down onto the seat and I joined him a moment after, dragging the curtain shut. I glanced at the screen and waited for a flash or any indication that a photo was taken, but nothing happened. Of course, it would have helped if we actually clicked the start button. I reached out for it but Eren caught me by the wrist and grabbed my chin with his other hand, turning my gaze to him.

“I would never force you to do anything,” he whispered, “Just like you would never force me.”

He crossed our wrists so that his white wing tattoo overlapped with my black wing. I stared down at the symbol and felt my heart skip on its own even though I tried to ignore it. The day after we truly played at The Wall for the first time, the day I became his Corporal, Eren marked his wrists to match mine. These wings had become an important symbol for us. A steel beam in our relationship, holding everything up when everything else wanted to fall. Whenever there were doubts between us, he always turned to them. Because they were better than running, and we had both done enough of that already. 

“I know you wouldn’t,” I replied, gripping his wrist and giving it a reassuring squeeze. After everything that had happened, I knew he needed things like this. There were times when he was teetering on the edge and I’d become skilled at pulling him away from the ledge.

He searched my eyes as if looking for the lie, but it wasn’t there. “You really don’t mind?”

A smirk tugged on my lips and I cocked my head to the side. “I wouldn’t do it if I actually hated the idea. Believe it or not, I can still say no to you, Eren Jaeger.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smirk of his own and he leaned back into his seat, stretching his arms out in front of him. The smirk changed into a wide grin as he glanced over at me. “Well, then you better make it worth it. This will be my first photo booth picture, so it has to be good.”

I rolled my eyes and watched him lean forward to hit the start button, “And what do I have to do to make it good?”

“Well, first you have to look here,” Eren grinned, tapping the screen just as the first photo snapped. “Oh, shit!”

I raised one eyebrow and fixed him with an unamused stare, “Are you seriously telling me how to look at a camera?”

Eren poked at my shoulder as he flashed a wide grin in the direction of the screen, speaking through his teeth, “Look that way and smile!”

“No.”

Eren rolled his eyes, “Well, if you don’t want to smile then you have to make some kind of stupid face. That’s the whole point.”

Eren pushed his index fingers in either side of his mouth and tugged, sticking out his tongue as he crossed his eyes. The bulb flashed and I was caught staring at him, my expression stuck somewhere between ‘oh, fuck no’ and ‘are you kidding me?’ for all eternity.

“If you think I’m making a face like that, you’ve lost your mind, kid.”

“Come on!” he laughed, tugging at the strings of his hood until it cinched shut over his face. He stuck his tongue out further and angled it in my direction, wiggling it at me. Which might have actually been sexy if his head wasn’t currently shoved up into his hood.

“You couldn’t pay me enough to do that.”

“Levi!” Eren huffed and flipped his hood back, fixing me with an annoyed glare. I couldn’t stop the smirk that started to curve my lips as I stared into those vibrant green eyes. 

They were heated with frustration and his hint of anger did more than enough to send desire coursing through me. Ever since we’d truly gotten into the kinky aspects of our bedroom, I’d begun to crave his dominant side more and more. Despite the fact that I loved to play the Corporal, submitting to Eren was a delicious little treat all its own. There was something about his temper that aroused me more than anything else, and that was mostly because it usually led to the type of throw down sex that I hungered for. 

“Fine, then I’ll just pretend I’m you,” Eren growled, turning towards the camera. He held up his hands as if he had claws, and screwed up his face into what I could only assume was anger and glared at the camera, “Shitty brat! I hate dirt! You’re gonna freeze your toes off! My hands are unnaturally warm!”

My expression softened with amusement as I watched him talk to the screen, a smirk still teasing my lips. The bulb flashed and Eren continued to ramble at the camera, clearly determined to finish off the strip with his absurd expression. But I couldn’t have that. I agreed to do this with him, so I had to give him at least one good shot. 

Without warning, I grabbed the cords of his green hoodie and twisted them around my fist before yanking him down to my level. His eyes widened instantly as a bright red blush seeped into his cheeks, shock written across his features. He tried to suppress a small shiver and failed, a wanton desire filling his eyes as he stared back at me. I chuckled softly and jerked on the strings, our lips only a breath apart now as I gazed at him through heavy lidded eyes. 

“You want the picture that badly?” I purred, my tongue slowly brushing against his upper lip as I stared into those beautiful green eyes. “Then here it is.”

The light flashed around us and then his lips were on mine, his hands fisting into my hair as he moaned with desperate arousal. He pushed forward until he was straddling my lap and I grabbed his ass tight to keep him from slipping off, my nails digging into the soft material of his jeans. A returning moan parted my lips as I thrust my tongue into the welcoming heat of his mouth, exploring the taste of him even though I already knew it so well. But then again, I could spend an eternity with this man wrapped around my body and it would still never be enough. I was insatiable, but so was he. 

And didn’t that just make us fucking perfect. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

_Erwin_

 

I glanced over my shoulder and snaked an arm around Armin’s waist, watching Eren and Levi walk towards the beach. I still couldn’t convince myself that they were actually here. It was amazing that they’d agreed to come with us at all, but I knew I had Armin to thank for that. Not that he could do anything about the tension that still lingered between Eren and me, but I knew he was trying to fix it anyway. He wanted us to become close, because that was the only way things could work out in the end. Eren was the most important person in his life, and I was lucky to be able to come in second. 

“Did Levi always call you Commander?”

Armin looked up at me and met my surprised eyes, his fingers brushing against the skin of his neck. I should have known that was still bothering him.

“I told you in the limo, I’m yours. No one else has any right to call me that.”

“But you don’t mind when he does,” Armin stated matter-of-factly, still touching his neck. “Do you?”

“No, I don’t,” I admitted, “But that doesn’t mean I want him to, either.”

“Does it…” Armin paused, considering his words in silence as he walked beside me. A small blush started to stain his cheeks and he cleared his throat, speaking softly. “Does it turn you on?”

“Only when you do it,” I purred the words, running the tip of my index finger up the length of his spine. I was rewarded with a delicious little shiver and I laughed as I pulled him closer. “You have nothing to be jealous about.”

“It’s kind of hard not to be jealous of him when he’s been with two of the men I’ve wanted.” 

“I’m flattered that you want me,” I teased, ignoring the fact that Eren was also lumped into the little statement. It had been months since Armin admitted to his feelings for him, but I didn’t need the reminder. It made my blood boil with envy, and I knew that would never improve my relationship with Eren. Not that I could make it much worse. 

“You already know that I want you,” Armin replied with a small roll of his eyes, smiling. “I think the past year should be enough to prove that.”

I made a soft sound of agreement in the back of my throat and ran my fingers in a delicate touch against his hip. “I think I could still use some reminding.”

“Say when and where, Commander.” 

I stopped the groan in the back of my throat and shook my head. “Don’t tease me like this when you know I can’t do anything about it.”

“Sorry,” Armin smiled sheepishly, although he didn’t seem sorry at all. I would have to remind myself to fix that later.

“Oh, I’m sure you will be,” I smirked before finally turning my attention back to the boardwalk. “So, what would you like to do first?” 

Armin pursed his lips slightly and glanced around us. “I wanna get ice cream. I heard they have the best kind here.”

I raised a brow and stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “It’s the middle of winter.”

“I know,” he shrugged, “But I’m here now and I want to try it. I won’t get a big one.”

I tried to hide my knowing smile and decided not to mention that their smallest size was still an intimidating tower of ice cream. “If it’s what you really want, then we’ll get it. Just don’t freeze yourself.”

“I have you to warm me up,” he smiled before pausing to dig out his wallet. I grabbed his wrist instinctively and stopped him. 

“I’m paying.”

He looked up at me and frowned, a bill pinched between his fingers. “You always pay for everything. At least let me get the ice cream.” 

I released his wrist and folded my arms, angling my head to the side before looking over at the ice cream stand. Their prices were reasonable, but I hated the idea of Armin paying for anything in my presence. Of course, that had been one of our arguments in the past, and I wasn’t looking to repeat it now. Not when we were supposed to be having a romantic day out.

Armin leaned against the counter and ordered the ice cream, sliding the money to the cashier. I watched his expression as they built his frozen treat, and his eyes grew progressively wider as the ‘small’ turned out to be an offensively large amount. He took the cone into his hand and stared up at the tip of the ice cream, a soft sound of surprise escaping his lips.

“Oh.”

We started walking towards the rides, the brilliant Ferris Wheel spinning slowly ahead of us. 

“Like I said,” I laughed, sliding my arm back around his waist. “Don’t freeze yourself.”

“You knew it was this big?” Armin asked, glancing up at me. 

“Of course, I did. But I know how good you are at getting big things into your body.”

He licked the cream and his expression lit up with delight before he realized what I said. A deep blush filled his cheeks as he peeked up at me, “What was that about not teasing?”

“Call it payback.”

Armin watched me for a moment and then a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. He drew his tongue up the length of the ice cream, licking it very slowly as he stared up at me through his eyelashes. I felt desire heat up in my body like a sudden wild fire, and I suppressed a groan before shutting my eyes. He was too damn smart and too damn skilled at fucking with me. It was actually hard to keep up with him at times. 

“Are you trying to get yourself punished tonight?”

“I might be,” he admitted, licking it once more, “We haven’t done it in a while.”

“We did it three days ago,” I answered, amused. 

“We’re overdue.”

Now I was sure this had something to do with Levi. 

Usually I was the one who initiated our little games, and the fact that he was so openly pursuing it meant that he was jealous. I knew, because he’d done it once before when we bumped into one of my former pets. After they had left, he’d found a way to get me back home and into the bedroom in under an hour. He called me Commander the entire time, and I knew it was because he needed the reassurance. He needed to remember that I was his.

“You’ll have to wait until we get home.” I murmured softly. “Besides, you have an ice cream to finish.”

I bent down and held his eyes as I dragged my tongue in a slow, deliberate lick up the side, swirling it over the tip once. I drew back and licked my lips, watching his eyes haze with a need that was so profound I could feel it myself. 

“You’re right, it’s too cold,” he breathed, dropping the ice cream to the ground.

He moved forward so quickly that I barely caught the movement, his hand fisting into my shirt and giving a sharp yank as he pulled me down. Surprise rushed through me as he pushed up onto the tips of his toes and met me halfway, claiming my lips in a kiss that was so desperate for more that I almost gave in. I groaned softly and he parted his lips to do the same, my tongue plunging into the silken heat of his mouth the instant I had access. 

His breath caught and my arousal grew stronger, my hands quickly finding the soft flesh of his ass and pulling up until he was off the ground. His lean arms wrapped around my neck as his legs tightened on my waist, his fingers gripping my hair and pulling me further into a kiss I was already lost in. I was quickly forgetting where we were and what we were supposed to be doing. It was impossible for me to focus on anything else when he was wrapped around me this way. He was the only thing that mattered in these moments.

“We can’t do this here,” he gasped against my lips, breaking our kiss. 

At least one of us was able to think. 

It took all of my control to set him back on his feet, and I had to look away in order to compose myself. I didn’t give a damn about public decency right now, but I knew he did and I was willing to respect that. 

Armin stared up at me, wearing the same blush he had on before our kiss. His fingers were brushing his neck once more, reminding of where I put his collar. If he was trying to tease me, it was working too damn well. I didn’t want to keep my hands off of him. I wanted to put the collar around his neck and play with him for the rest of the day. I wanted him as sexually frustrated as I was, knowing that we couldn’t do a thing until we got home.

“I want you to put the collar on me,” he whispered breathlessly, still touching his neck.

I let the air rush out of my lungs and closed my eyes. 

“Commander.”

This boy would be the end of me.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

 

_Armin_

 

“Are you sure this is what you want?” 

Erwin was fiddling with the ends of the leather collar, his focus drawn away from my eyes as he considered my request. Of course, I already knew what his answer would be. We both did. He’d made it exceedingly clear on more than one occasion that he preferred to have my neck collared, although it was always my choice in the end. I was still so new to everything and he was taking me through it one step at a time, allowing me to set the pace by which we moved. 

Sometimes I had to wonder if I was moving too fast, but it had been only two weeks since he’d given me a collar. I had no idea what it meant at the time, and I still wasn’t sure I understood the true significance of it. I knew it was important, both to him and for us, and I knew that I liked it. Far more than I would have ever guessed. It meant something to belong to him. 

He was my Commander. 

My hand snapped out to grab the middle of the collar and his eyes instantly moved to meet mine. “I’m sure.” 

He eyed my expression for a moment longer, and finally a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Levi really got to you, didn’t he?”

“I don’t like that he called you that,” I admitted. It was nothing I would hide from him, and we never kept secrets as it was. One of us would ask a question and the other would answer honestly. That was the way our relationship worked. We had learned enough from past experiences to know how poisonous lies could be.

“He was only doing it to fuck with you.”

“I know he was,” I shrugged, staring down at the collar as my fingers brushed against the silver of the o-ring. “But it worked anyway.”

“So you want this as what?” Erwin asked, tugging at the sides of a collar.

“A reminder,” I answered reflexively, “That I belong to you, and that you’re mine.”

I stared up at him through my eyelashes and watched the corner of his mouth twitch in a smirk. I kept my smile to myself, although I was beaming on the inside. I had so much power when it came to him, even if I was the one submitting in the bedroom. I always knew exactly what to say and do to get the reactions I wanted out of him. It was like a game of Chess that never ended, and I knew all the moves. I’d never been able to affect anyone this way before, and the fact that I could light desire in such a commanding man was a constant power trip. 

Even now, I was able to spark a need in those bright blue eyes, and I had done so intentionally. I knew he loved it whenever I spoke about him in a possessive sense, even if I had never seen myself as a possessive person. At least not until him, but I probably had Jean to blame for that. I’d been betrayed once before and the thought of Erwin playing master to anyone but me made my skin crawl. 

And Levi calling him Commander hadn’t exactly helped my confidence; especially considering their past was far less than platonic. 

Erwin slipped the smooth leather around my neck and reached behind me to secure it in place. As his fingers worked at my nape, his lips brushed against my jaw and he murmured, “You have nothing to be jealous about.”

“I can’t help it,” I frowned, angling my head into his touch, “I never showed my jealousy over Jean and look what happened.”

“I am not Jean,” Erwin spoke softly, his fingers looping into the o-ring. He gave a small jerk and pulled me forward, his lips catching mine as I stumbled into him. He lingered for a moment and then drew back, releasing his hold on the collar. “One day you’re going to realize that.”

“I know you’re not Jean,” I argued, my fingers brushing idly against the collar as we started to walk again. 

He laughed softly and took my free hand in his, giving it a squeeze. “I like to think I’m better looking than Jean. But you know what I’m talking about, Armin.”

I looked up at the sound of my name and my fingers went still on the metal ring. He glanced at me briefly and continued to walk, but in that passing moment I could see the doubt in his eyes. 

“I trust you.”

“You trust me as much as you can right now,” Erwin corrected me, stating it as a matter of fact rather than an accusation. He looked down at me and his expression softened, “And that’s all I can ask for.” 

My heart hammered in my chest, and I felt the familiar heat enter my cheeks as they flushed with color. I discovered very early in our conversations that Erwin had a way with words, and he was more than happy to disarm me with them. Of course, he wasn’t using them to throw me off-guard now. It was a reassurance, and one I desperately needed. Trust had been a big issue for us in the beginning of our relationship, and it was still lingering even now. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I doubted him because of what he did or what Jean had done to me, but the doubt was there nonetheless. 

“Did you have a specific ride in mind?” Erwin asked as we approached the Funtown Pier. I glanced around at everything they had to offer and knew there was no way I was going to be able to settle on just one. Of course, I’d been saving up so I wouldn’t have to settle at all.

“I’m planning to ride all of them,” I shrugged, glancing up at him with a sheepish grin, “So you might want to pick the first one in case you don’t want to ride everything.”

“Why do I get the feeling that’s a shot at my age…” he smirked, eyeing the rides, “I’ll have you know that I can ride all of these just as well as you can.”

Laughter escaped me before I could stop it, and I clamped a hand over my mouth as my cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. He fixed me with a stare that was supposed to be annoyed, but his smile ruined the attempt. 

I grinned against my palm and muffled into it, “Your stomach might not be able to handle rides at your age.”

“Oh, you little…” Erwin paused and shook his head, a wicked smile crossing his lips. “I’m going to make you pay for that one.”

“Later?”

“No,” he murmured in a dangerously low voice. He leaned close, bending until we were at eye level. “Right now.”

I tried to keep my eyes from widening, but I had no hope of managing that. My words escaped me in a surprised squeak, “In front of everyone?”

“In front of everyone who wants to watch,” he replied, his voice remaining deep. 

I took a quick, nervous glance around us and was momentarily grateful that winter was not their busy season. But that didn’t mean we were alone, and it wouldn’t make this any less embarrassing. I was still getting used to him in the bedroom, and I knew I couldn’t handle him taking me in front of everyone. I wasn’t an exhibitionist, as far as I knew, and today wasn’t the day I wanted to find out.

“I don’t think I want to…”

“You said you wanted to ride all of them,” he pointed out with a smirk.

“I didn’t mean you!” I whispered as quietly and quickly as possible, looking around us once more.

“And neither did I,” Erwin replied, tightening his hold of my hand as he started in the direction of one of the rides. He laughed and glanced back at me, “Did you actually think I was going to take you here publicly?”

“No!” I blurted out and then flushed deeper, “Maybe… yes. But you made it sound that way.”

“Oh, I know I did,” Erwin agreed, “That was kind of the point.”

“To mess with my head?”

“Exactly.”

I tried not to let that bother me, and on some level it didn’t. He was just playing with me and he had won the reaction he wanted. Sometimes it was hard to accept that I didn’t have all the moves after all. Our relationship really was a game of Chess, and I was playing against a pro. I had to keep reminding myself of that fact.

“What were you talking about?” I asked, glancing ahead of us as we walked. The only ride I could see was one I had no intention of getting on.

“The Skycoaster,” Erwin replied, stopping in front of it. 

I felt my heart drop into my stomach as I tilted my head back, staring up at the towering metal structure. There was one long beam located behind us, taller than almost anything else on the pier. Across from it and far in front of us were two equally tall metal beams connected at the top. Dangling from them was a bit of wire that was meant to stay attached to anyone who dared to ride it.

Which wasn’t going to be me.

“No,” I shook my head quickly, taking a step back. The color was draining from my face and I was going white as a sheet. “No, I can’t.”

Erwin watched me, and for a moment I was waiting for him to order me onto the ride anyway. Not that I would obey, but I was expecting him to at least make the attempt. But he never did.

“Do you mind if I ride it anyway?” he asked as he dug his phone out of his pocket. “I’ve always wanted to, and we’re here. You can film it from the ground, if you want.”

He didn’t even try to guilt me into going with him, even though it would have been so easy to do so. It was obvious he was looking forward to this, and he had wanted to experience it with me. He could have said that and I would have felt obligated to go, but he didn’t. Somehow I knew he never would. He didn’t want me to be uncomfortable, and that included everything in and out of the bedroom. 

“I want to go,” I blurted out.

“No,” he shook his head and pressed his phone into my hand, “You don’t. You look terrified, and I don’t want you to do something that’s going to make you scared.”

“A little scary can be good, right?” I pressed, using the words he had said to me once long ago.

“When it’s controlled and you have the ability stop if you need to,” Erwin explained, “Once they strap you in, you have to go. When we’re up at the top, there’s no other way down.”

“You want me to go with you,” I countered, continuing before he had the chance to deny it. “Truth.”

It was the word I used with him whenever I wanted to be certain he wasn’t lying. Not that I ever doubted him, but I knew white lies were a necessity in life. Even I told them when the need would arise. But sometimes I needed to know the full truth, even if the lie was only meant to protect me.

He sighed and shook his head slowly, “Yes, I want you to go with me. But not if you’re scared.”

“I won’t be scared if I’m with you,” I assured him, even though I wasn’t sure of that myself. The idea of being attached to a thin wire and nothing else terrified me, but I knew I would regret it even more if I didn’t go.

“I’m sure you’ll still be scared,” Erwin commented, pulling out his wallet, “But I’m not going to tell you no.”

I shut my eyes and took a slow, deep breath, preparing myself for what might be the most terrifying experience of my life. Erwin paid for the both of us, and I stood still and straight as a rod while the attendants helped me into the harness. They handed me a little wooden knob that I was expected to stand on at one point; apparently it was meant to keep my legs straight. 

“Are you sure you can do this?” Erwin asked for the umpteenth time as we walked up the metal steps to the staging platform. I gave a shaky little nod and my best attempt at a confident smile, but I could tell by his frown that it didn’t work. 

“Too late to turn back now, right?” I muttered. I took another deep breath and reached out to grab the handlebar when the attendant instructed me to do so.

“Not until we’re off the ground,” Erwin spoke, “Even if they tell you no, I will rip you out of that harness if I have to.”

I tried to laugh but the entire sound was a trembling mess and I gave up halfway through. I shut my eyes tightly and let out another slow breath, “I’ll be fine, Erwin.”

“We’re going to drop you forward,” the attendant spoke.

“They’re going to wha-OH MY GOD!” I shrieked when I was suddenly flipped into a horizontal position. Even with their brief warning, I knew I would never be able to prepare myself for that. It was like having the entire world spin in the wrong direction as the floor disappeared beneath you. My stomach was filled to the brim with angry butterflies and I felt it twisting with the need to expel the fear that was building inside. 

I was so happy I didn’t finish that ice cream. 

Erwin’s hand caught mine and he laced our fingers together, giving me a reassuring squeeze, “This is the scary part. All of this is just a build up to that final release, and that’s what we want. That’s the part that makes it all worth it.”

I could hear the crank of the machine as our bodies left the platform, the wire slowly pulling us back to the individual metal pole that was so far and tall in the sky. The ground was disappearing and the people were growing smaller as we moved higher into the air. Suddenly all the panic came rushing forward, as if I couldn’t contain it a second longer. My chest started heaving as I began to hyperventilate and I squeezed Erwin’s hand to the point that I was certain I’d caused him pain.

But he didn’t show it.

“Armin, look at the ocean,” he spoke softly, “Open you eyes and look.”

It took everything I had to open my eyes and fix my gaze on the bright blue water ahead of us. But when I did, my breath caught in my throat and for a moment I didn’t feel any panic at all. I’d never been up so high without a plane, and that didn’t offer a sight like this. I could see everything around us, but the ocean was an endless expanse. No matter how high or low we went, it was always going to be a beautiful blue line in the distance. Something familiar that I could hold onto.

“I want you to do something for me,” Erwin murmured, his thumb moving soothingly across my fingers. 

I felt the wire click into place as we reached the top, and the fear began to rise once more. I choked out the word, “What?”

“Scream.”

I heard a soft snap as Erwin pulled on the cord that would release us from the metal pole, and there was a brief moment of weightlessness. Our bodies hung there for an instant, caught somewhere in the sky until gravity took a hold of us once more. A scream ripped from my throat as we went speeding back towards the ground, and I could have sworn I heard Erwin screaming, too. But it wasn’t in fear. 

The wire held fast to us as we went flying forward, swooping down before curving us back up into the air. Our bodies moved as if they were meant to fly, leading us out over the ocean before swinging us back in the direction of the pier. My stomach flipped every time we swung out towards the ocean, filled with a wild excitement at the sight of the water lapping below. 

We were flying. Free of the ground and moving through the sky as if it were second nature, and I knew then that nothing would ever feel this peaceful. 

A small, nervous giggle bubbled out of my mouth and pretty soon as I was laughing freely as I stretched my arms out in front of me. The wire continued to swing us back and forth like a pendulum, letting us explore the air until the attendant finally ran forward with a long stick for Erwin to grab. He reached out with one muscular arm and snatched it with ease, pulling us to a stop.

“What did you think?” Erwin asked breathlessly as we walked away from the ride, a grin spread across his handsome face. He seemed so happy that it made him look as if he were as young as me, and I felt my heart beginning to pound at the sight. All of the emotions that I had felt for him over the past year were suddenly burning inside me, and all I could see was him. 

“I love,” my breath hitched and I caught myself on the last word, “It.”

Erwin watched me with a knowing gaze and then he suddenly leaned close, running two fingers along the length of my jaw. He pressed them under my chin to tilt my head up and stared into my eyes, searching them as he whispered, “I love it, too.”

And somehow I knew that was the truth.


End file.
